Automobile-signal.



E. J. GENSLER.

v AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1, 191e.

1,267,538, Patented May 28,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l..

WTDRNEY.

E. J. GENSLEH.

AUTOMOBILESIGNAL.

APPLICATIQN msn UNE 7, 191s.

l,267,53 V Patented May 28,1918.4

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

y INVENTUF:

ATTnRNEY-E..

EDWARD J. GENSLER, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

AUTOMOBILE-SIGNAL.

Application led .Tune 7, 1916.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. GENSLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Automobile-Signals, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to a tratlic signal which is more particularlydesigned for use on automobiles in order to notify the drivers of otherautomobiles or persons on the roadway near by as to the intentions ofthe particular party who is giving the signal.

It is the purpose of this invention to provide a signal for this purposewhich is simple and inexpensive in construction, which can be easily andreliably operated either by the foot, by the hand or by the shoulder ofa person for giving a signal either during daytime or nighttime, and`which is provided with an electric lighting system capable of beingoperated either by ya storage battery or by means of a dry battery suchas are now in common use.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary vertical transverse section of an openautomobile body equipped with one form of traffic signal embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same, on an enlargedscale, taken on line 2-2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectionalview, on an enlarged scale, of the electrical coupling whereby thestorage battery may be connected with or disconnected from the circuitof the electric signal lamp forming part of the signal mechanism. Fig. 4is a horizont-al section taken on the correspondinglynumbered line inFig. 3. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical transverse section of the bodyof a closed automobile showino the same equipped with a modified formofb my improvement.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in theseveral views.

Referring to Figs. 1-4, 1 represents the floor and 2 one 0f the sidewalls of an open automobile body. On the upper edge of this side wall issecured a bracket 3 which is provided with upper and lowerlaterally-projecting guide-arms 4, 5, which are provided with transverseguide slots 6, 7, respectively.

Mounted on top of the inner part of the bracket is a signal body orcasing S which contains a compartment or chamber 9 the outer end ofwhich is closed but the inner Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 28, 1918. Serial No. 102,206.

end of which is open and adapted to be closed by means of a lid or door10 which is hinged at one edge to the signal body or casing, as shown at11, so that the same may be swung either away from the inlet of thesignal body or casing or toward this inlet for the purpose of closingsaid compartment. This lid may be held shut by any suitable means forinstance by a screw 12 .arranged on the free edge of the lid andengaginfr behind a shoulder 13 on the inner end of the exterior of thesignal casing.

141 represents a vertically swinging signal arm which is pivoted at itslower end by means of a horizontal longitudinal bolt 15 on a pair ofsupporting lugs 16 which pro! ject laterally from the out-er end of thesignal casing, so that the signal arm may either assume an upright,normal or inoper ative position, as shown by full lines in Fig. 1, andalso swing laterally outward into an inclined, operative position,dotted lines in the same figure. At its upper end the signal arm ispreferably provided with a flag 17, so that when this signal arm isthrown laterally outward the same will as shown by L be more conspicuousduring the daytime and more readily observed by the traffic oiiicer, thedrivers of other automobiles or pedest-rians, so that the same may knowthe intention of the respective driver who is giving the signal. thesignal arm into its operative or inclined position may be eifectedeither by the hand, by the shoulder or by the foot of a person accordingto whichever of these members is free to operate the signal. The handand shoulder operated mechanism which is shown for this purposecomprises a guideway 18 arranged on top of the `signal casing andprovided with an inwardly facing This outward movement of shoulder 19, ahorizontal transversely movable shifting rod 20 sliding in said guidewayand provided at its inner end with a handle 21, a link 22 connecting theouter end of the shifting rod with the signal arm, and a spring 23arranged within the guideway and around part of the shifting rod slidingtherein and bearing at one end against the shoulder 19 of the guidewaywhile its opposite end bears against an outwardly facing shoulder 24 onthe shifting the spring 23 Vholds the signal arm in the upright positionindicated by full lines in Fig. 1 and by applying outward pressure onthe handle 21 either by means of the hand rod. Normally or the shoulderot the driver the signal arm will be swung outwardlyv intok the positionshown by dotted lines in Fig. l, thereby giving a signal to persons nearby but as soon as the pressure on the handle is released the springagain returns the signal arm to its elevated upright position.

Various means may be employed tor shift-- ing the signal arni by footpressure into its operative position7 those shown inthe drawings,comprising a toot lever 25 pivoted in any suitable manner on the floorof the car, and a cord 26er. other iexible member connected at one* endwith the lower arm oit the toot loyer andconnected at its opposite endwith a downi'vard extension arranged on thesig-naly arm below itstulcrum, the intermediate part ot this shitting cord passing aroundguide roller 2 8, i 29 mounted on the inner side ot the bracket 3 andthe underside oi the :floor and also through an upright guide tube 30arranged adjacentito the inner sideot' the adjacent wall ot' vthe body.Upon depressing the upper arm ot the toot lever the same willbe turnedin a direction which will causey the` ,cord 26 to pull on the extensionLof the signal arm and more the latter from its upright positionoutwardly into an inclined laterally projecting position. Upon releasingthe pressure ot' the tootagaiiist the toot lever the spring ot' thefhandoperating mechanism will return the signal arm to its upright normalposition. For the purpose ot returning the toot lover to. itsinoperative position, it is preterable to employr a spring 31 whichconnects the lower arm of this toot lever with the underside otan-.automobile body, as shown hilfig.. l. The lower extension of thesignalvarin is har angediin the slots (i, yT ofthe guide arms l, therebyholding the signal armrat allrtinies reliably in its upright as well asin `its laterally inclined position and preyenting displacement of thesaine.

The parts described so tar serve asmeans tor giving aesignal during thedaytime but in order to 4also enable a signal to be given at= nighttime,the. following means are provided:

3Q represents an electric lamp mounted on the tresor upper en l ot thesignal arm and 33, 3l represent two movable switch contaets mounted onthe signal arni adjacent toVV its tulcrum and electrically connectedwith. the two terminals of the lamp, the wires whereby this connectionis made being extended through the signal arm which latter is preferablymade hollow for this purpose. 355 3G represent two fined or stationaryswitch contacts which are mounted on the outer end wall ot the signalcasing and adapted to be engaged by the movable contacts 33, 34C, whenthe signal arm isswung into its operative inclined position but to beout ot engagement therefrom when the signal arm is in its uprightinoperative position.` The stationary contacts are adapted to beelectrically connected with oppositeI terminals of an electric source5so that when the same are engaged by the movable contacts the electriclanip will be illuminated when the signal arm is swung laterally into aninclined position by reason ot the circuit. through the lamp beingclosed at thistinie,

butwlien the signal arm is swung into an upright position lthe electric`lamp will be reason of the circuit through the same being broken as thcinorable contacts,` slmove out ot engagement from the lixedcontacts 35,36.

As, shown in the drawings,y the electric current may be supplied tothelamp either by. means of a storage battery 3T which is mounted on anysuitable part of the body oi the automobile or by. meansV ot a drybattery 38 which Amay be removably mounted in the compartment 9 of thesignal casing. The dry battery may be ot' any suitable or standardconstruction and provided with two terminals l0, so that upon moving thesaine, into .the compartment of the c; ing

extinguished by .these terminals will engage?, respectiyely with thefixed contacts 35, 36, on the outer or closed end ot'thecasing, asshownin lfig. l, and Seryeas the means 'tor lighting the lamp 32 when thecircuit including the dry battery and the lamp isc-losed up swinging thesignal arm downwardly into aninclincd position The, dry battery is movedin wardly and held with its terminal contacts in engagement, with `thelinedcontacts SG1, by ashitting device which preferably consists oi' ascrew el engaging with a threadedopening rinthe `lid l0 and4 bearingagainst the inner end ot' the dry battery. 1When it is not desired touse the dry battery for the purpose 'of illuminating the signal lampAflthe shitting screw ll may be bachedaway from thedry battery and thelatter may be `drawn outwardly snliiciently so that its terminals do notengage withthe fixedcontacts, 3 6.

It it is desired to use the storage battei7 for lighting the lamp 32instead oi the dry battery, this may be accomplished by means Otanelectrical coupling comprisingia socket member l2 which is secured'totheunden side of he signalcasingiuid provided with two socket contacts:43, sie which are electrically connected respectively witlrtlie linedcontacts 35, 36, and a plug member l5 provided with ytwo contactpinslr6, l? which are adapted to engage with the socket contacts 3, sld, andare electrically connected with opposite poles of the storagebattery. Bypushingthe plug contacts into, the socket contactsthe storage `batteryis coupledrwith the xed contacts 35, 36, so that the .current ofthestorage `battery willbe placed in circuit with the lamp 82 and thelatter will ice be illuminated when the signal arm swings into itslaterally inclined operative position. When it is not desired to use thestorage battery the plug contacts may be withdrawn from the socketcontacts and turned one quarter and then engaged with a pair of idle orblind sockets 48, 4.8 on the socket piece in which case no electricalconnection is made between the storage battery and the iiXed contacts35, 36, and the storage battery is cut out. By this means the plug ofthe storage battery coupling may always remain attached to the signalcasing regardless of whether the storage battery is in circuit or out ofcircuit, thereby avoiding misplacing this plug which otherwise would beliable to occur'. If desired, the storage battery may be cut into or outof circuit by means of a main switch 49 arranged in one of the linesleading from this battery, as shown in Fig. l.

By providing' means for connecting either a storage battery or a drybattery with the signal lamp the storage battery can be used mainly forlighting the signal lamp and the dry battery may be held in reserve andused only in case ofiemergency when the storage battery gives out. Italso renders it possible to use this signal mechanism with a dry batteryonly in case the particular car on which this signal mechanism ismounted does not carry a storage battery.

The modifled construction shown in Fig. 5 is more particularly designedfor use in a motor car having a closed body such as a taxicab, in whichthe side wall 50 extends upwardly alongside of the signal arm, In thisconstruction, the lower extension of the signal arm and the guide armsfor the same are omitted as well as the foot operated means for shiftingthe signal arm, and the signal casing is mounted in an opening 51 in theautomobile body instead of being mounted on a bracket. In other respectsthe construction shown in Fig. 5 is substantially the same as theconstruction shown in Fig. l.

As a whole, thissignal mechanism is very eicient in operation andpermits of quickly and reliably warning other persons or drivers as tothe intention of the party operating the signal. Furthermore, theconstruction or' this signal is such that the same can be produced atcomparatively low cost and is capable of being installed generallywithout alterations on most of the automobiles now on the market,thereby avoiding the expense of providing a large variety of patterns tomeet the requirements of the market.

I claim as my invention:

l. An automobile signal, comprising a body having a compartment andelectrical contacts, a signal arm pivoted on said body, an electric lampmounted on said arm, electrical contacts mounted on said arm and formingthe terminals of said lamp and adapted to engage with said contacts onsaid body, said compartment being adapted to receive a battery theterminals of which are adapted to engage with the terminals mounted onsaid body, a movable lid applied to said body for opening and closingthe compartment thereof, means for holding said lid in its closedposition, and a pressing device mounted on said lid and adapted to holdsaid battery with its ter minals in engagement with the terminals ofsaid body.

2. An automobile signal, comprising a body having a compartment andelectrical contacts, a signal arm pivoted on said body, an electric lampmounted on said arm, electrical contacts mounted on said arm and formingthe terminals of said lamp and adapted to engage with said contacts onsaid body, said compartment being adapted to receive a battery theterminals of which are adapted to engage with the terminals mounted onsaid body, and an electrical coupling mounted on the body and adapted toconnect a storage battery with said body contacts.

3. In an automobile signal, comprising a body having a compartment andelectrical contacts, a signal arm provided on said body, an electriclamp mounted on said arm, electrical contacts mounted on said arm andforming the terminals of said lamp and adapted to engage with saidcontacts on said body, said compartment being adapted to receive abattery the terminals of which are adapted to engage with the terminalsmounted on said body and an electrical coupling mounted on the body andadapted to connect a storage battery with said body contacts, saidcoupling comprising two complementary sections which are adapted tointerlock in two positions in one of which the storage battery isconnected with the body contacts and in the other the storage battery iscut off from said body contacts.

EDWARD J. GENSLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, byaddressingthe- Commissioner of Patents. Washington. D. C.

